Arun

  I didn’t mean to wander so far from the manor. I just needed to clear my head after breakfast.

  It just feels so… heavy there sometimes.

  I walk slowly through the gardens, eventually making my way through the fields of Pipeweed until the rows thin out. The grass is a bit taller out here where the path narrows.

  I know exactly where this leads.

  The first time I came out here with Alexios, he lingered for a few moments, tears swelling up in his eyes before walking back over to me. The small, weathered grave marker I try to steer clear of. Not out of rudeness, just politeness for both Alexios and…

  Nykky too.

  I stop a few feet away, hands sliding awkwardly into my pockets.

  What am I even doing?

  Just being here feels like I’m intruding on something rather sacred. I don’t feel as though I even have the right to be here.

  As I turn to face the gentle breeze, there’s a patch of wildflowers growing not too far. Stepping softly, I crouch down to pluck the prettiest one I can find. The petals are small and delicate, but I hope to the gods it feels significant enough.

  I want… him to know that I see him and I know he mattered.

  I kneel next to the stone, placing the flower on top.

  “I didn’t know you,” I begin quietly. “You were far before my time, but I know Alexios loved you. He still does in his own… Alexios way. I think you know the kind.”

  I take a deep breath in, trying to find the right words for a moment like this. I continue anyway.

  “I wanted to tell you that I love him too. So much. I promise I’ll take good care of him and always be beside him, even on those nights when he locks his heart away and won’t talk about what’s really bothering him.”

  The breeze makes the branches above me creak, feeling almost like a response as it gently brushes past me. I move a little closer to the stone.

  “I’m not trying to take your place,” I add softly. “That’s yours. Always. I don’t think I could anyway, but… I hope it’s okay that I’m here and I’m in love with him too?”

  Glancing down at the wildflower, the petals twitch lightly. There’s a question blooming in my heart and I know it’s silly, but…

  “Would it be alright if I married him one day?” I ask so softly that the question is barely audible. “I’d want to make him happy for the rest of my life and that he’s never alone again.”

  Oddly enough, warmth seeps through me when I reach down to lightly run my fingers along the stone. When I finally stand, the heaviness of this moment truly hits, but it’s not unpleasant in any way.

  It feels… right.

  I look down at the stone once more.

  “Rest well,” I whisper. “And thank you for loving him first.”

  The path back to the manor is much quieter, like even the field workers know the importance of that moment, but as I keep walking, the wind begins rushing through the trees, leaves rattling wildly.

  Cautious.

  Looking back at the stone, I see the wildflower get swooped up by the wind and a chill runs down my spine after the breeze passes. The comfort I felt just moments ago is gone, replaced by a sign of warning that follows me all the way back.

  By the time I reach the gardens, the wind has died down again. I tell myself it’s likely just the sign of a storm coming later in the day.

  I slip through the side door and find Alexios in the main hallway near the staircase, who looks up immediately at the sound of my footsteps.

  “There you are,” he says, smiling. “Where did you wander off to?”

  “Just… went for a walk past the gardens.”

  It seems like a simple enough answer for him, but he steps closer anyway, checking for any signs I might be hurt.

  “Good,” he says. “Good, you should get some fresh air.”

  I smile softly.

  “I thought the same thing.”

  Alexios nods towards the stairs.

  “Will you come upstairs with me? I want to show you something.”

  With a pull of curiosity, he leads me upstairs to my former bedroom now turned studio. Against the far wall sits a long, narrow cabinet, and judging by the carved motifs and rich wood, it must have cost him a fortune.

  “I had this brought over from one of the guest rooms,” Alexios says, tracing a finger over the top of it. “Thought it would look lovely in here for your paints or sketchbooks. Anything you want to keep stored and out of harm’s way.”

  I step closer, taking in each little detail of the cabinet.

  “It’s beautiful,” I exclaim. “This was just… in the house all this time?”

  He nods, opening one of the lower doors to receive drawers and shallow trays.

  “I know it’s not anything extravagant like usual,” he mentions. “But it’s yours, if you want it.”

  I’m instantly imagining my brushes lined up along with my glass jars pull of pigment.

  “It’s perfect, thank you.”

  When I look up at him smiling, he’s looking… away now. He might just be holding back a thought, but I swear I see a shadowy look in his eyes too.

  “Alexios…?” I ask politely.

  He looks back down at me before leaning in to brush a soft kiss on my forehead.

  “Just thinking about all the beautiful things you’ll keep in here. That’s all.”

  It’s not that I don’t believe him.

  I do.

  It’s just… he doesn’t seem fully here in this moment with me.

  I spend the rest of the morning arranging the jars of pigment on the shelves and stacking my sketchbooks neatly. It’s a welcome change from just keeping them in messy piles on my desk in the library.

  After I’m happy with the placement of everything, I sketch for a while at the window seat, my pencil moving quietly over the paper.

  I remember the earlier breeze outside and how I thought it might be the start of a storm.

  But it hasn’t come yet.

  --

  Alexios is as attentive as always during our lunch together. He not only a glass of wine for me but a cup of tea also. Part of me honestly wonders if the way he’s listening to me when I talk about an idea I have for an art piece is because something is on his mind.

  That same shadow is in his eyes again, but I don’t pry. He’d tell me if something was wrong, right?

  The rest of the afternoon is spent with more cups of tea and a short walk through the gardens and into the courtyard. Eventually, we end up in Alexios’s study, him digging through more contracts while I stay curled up on the couch skimming through a book on herbal tinctures.

  “Arun? What do you think about having dinner somewhere in town tonight?”

  My eyebrows raise.

  “Tonight?”

  “Mm-hmm,” he says, smiling. “It’s been a long week, hasn’t it? I think we could both use the change in scenery. I’ll even let you choose the wine.”

  I close the book slowly.

  “The sounds… really nice, actually.”

  “Perfect,” he says, standing up from his desk. “We’ll leave in an hour then.”

  “An hour?” I asked, surprised. “You’ve had this planned all along, haven’t you?”

  As he crosses the room toward me, he winks while sliding a hand over my shoulder. I can’t help but laugh.

  “What am I going to do with you?” I say, shaking my head.

  “Well, I was thinking let me spoil you and then drop to my knees after.”

  I scoff playfully as he leans down to capture my lips with his.

  What am I going to do with this man?

  My beautifully wicked Alexios.

  --

  The warmth from the restaurant’s atmosphere is infectious, with the golden light from the chandeliers bouncing off the paintings while the low chatter of the other patrons weave through the building.

  Alexios chooses a table by a large window, always eager to watch not only me but the streets as well. He wants nothing more than to be seen with me out in the world.

  Roasted quail and vegetable stew is served shortly after. I take a few glances at him as I sip my wine, him smirking when he catches me looking.

  “This wine tastes like a bouquet of flowers,” he says, head gesturing to my glass.

  “You’ve already finished half of your glass so you can’t say it’s not good,” I counter as I swirl my glass.

  Alexios chuckles softly.

  “Fair point.”

  The atmosphere between us is easy tonight. The waiter checks in on us often, but Alexios waves him away politely so we can keep our focus on each other.

  When dessert is served, the conversation drifts over to the music playing in the main room as we share bites of a fruit tart between us.

  I should tell him about this morning, shouldn’t I?

  Inhaling deeply, I collect my thoughts, wanting to be as careful as possible not to pick at any metaphorical scabs.

  “Alexios?”

  “Yes, my love?”

  I rest my spoon on the plate.

  “I… walked to Nykky’s gave this morning.”

  His movements stop abruptly before he finally puts his spoon down too.

  “I left a flower there,” I continue cautiously. “I talked to him too… just a little.”

  Alexios leans back in his chair and I can tell by the stillness in his features that he’s holding something back.

  “I told him I love you,” I admit even as my heart races faster now. “I told him that I’ll take care of you. I’m not here to replace him, Alexios. I just want to love you too.”

  “You… told him that?” he says finally, voice rough with what I can only assume is pain.

  I nod.

  “I wanted him to know,” I reply. “I know he loved you and I wanted him to know that I would too… for the rest of my life.”

  He reaches across the table, fingers wrapping fully around mine while his thumb caresses my knuckles. He doesn’t take his eyes off me for a single second.

  “Arun,” he breathes out roughly. “That… you…”

  “I’m sorry,” I say immediately. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I just…”

  “Do you have any idea how much this means to me?” he cuts in.

  Wiping away a stray tear from his cheek, he looks away, focusing on the slow movement of townsfolk passing by outside the restaurant’s window.

  “I…” he swallows harshly. “I miss him terribly, but...”

  “It’s okay, Alexios. I know.”

  He leans forward, pulling my hand to his mouth to leave soft kisses over each finger before moving to my knuckles.

  “Thank you,” he whispers.

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  “For what?”

  “For telling me,” Alexios says simply. “And for telling him.”

  I swallow sharply, unable to really find any words that might be enough in this fragile moment.

  We finally stand to leave, but I know this little moment will forever have a home in my heart. Halfway to the carriage, a shop catches my attention Through the window, I can see rows of jars, bottles and lacquered cases on tall shelves.

  Before I even realize it, I’ve stopped walking completely.

  “Sylvia’s Apothecary,” I whisper, reading the sign above the door. “It’s still open.”

  Alexios follows my eyes.

  “Interested?”

  “Maybe,” I admit.

  As I step closer, I see whipped face creams in small pots and even displays of pressed powders and lip stains, some in delicate pink shades while others range from cherry red to a deep wine color.

  Without a single word, Alexios pushes at the door, slipping inside to hold it open for me.

  “Go look, my love. Pick out whatever you want.”

  The shop smells like an overwhelming mixture of beeswax, lavender and roses, but I adore it more than I’d like to admit. As I walk past each section, I stop for a few seconds, seeing that each section has been labeled with the same swirly script as the sign outside.

  Soothing Balms.

  Restorative Serums.

  Herbal Perfumes.

  Some of the labels listed on the ingredients are plants I recognize from Blackwood’s own gardens, but others are unfamiliar. I am absolutely intrigued by them.

  “Do you see anything you like?” Alexios asks, one of his fingers trailing through my curls.

  “This one’s for keeping the skin soft,” I answer, laughing softly as I hold up one of the small pots of cream.

  He steps closer to get a better look at it.

  “Your skin is already incredibly soft, but if you want it, get it. Anything for you, as I always say.”

  My cheeks deepen as I look back at the shelf quickly, but I know Alexios still has his eyes on me. I pick out another small cream pot and a bottle of rosehip oil.

  Still reading the label on the oil, he comes up closer behind me, draping his arm around my waist.

  “Is there anything else you want?” he asks casually.

  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t overwhelmed by all the choices.

  “No, I think this is plenty,” I answer, holding up the two small pots and oil. “I don’t want to overdo it.”

  He takes them gently from my hands.

  “You should know by now that not overdoing it is not my specialty, especially when it comes to spoiling you with things.”

  I try to protest, but he’s already making his way to the counter to the neatly dressed older shopkeeper. She greets him a bit cautiously as her eyes move over him, but it fades into something soft as Alexios puts the items down.

  “Wrap them carefully,” he says. His voice is polite, but it’s not without a slight commanding undertone in it. “Add one of those powdered perfumes too, please. That one in the ivory case.”

  Stepping forward, I try to tell him he doesn’t need to do that, but I know my argument is already lost.

  As soon as the items are wrapped up and tied with ribbon, he takes the package and hands it directly to me.

  “For my beloved,” he says casually, turning towards me. “Now let’s get you home. I’m in need of a bath and to have that soft skin of yours pressed against me.”

  The shopkeeper lets out a quiet laugh before waving us away. I hold the package carefully as we step back onto the empty street.

  The carriage door shuts with a thud as the driver helps us back inside. As we begin traveling back, I carefully untie the ribbon of the neatly wrapped package, reaching my hand inside until I find the ivory case. When I lift the finely etched lid, the finely milled powder almost sparkles in the moonlight coming in through the window.

  It brings an instant smile to my face.

  “It’s beautiful,” I whisper as Alexios watches me from his seat.

  “Do you like it?”

  I nod, breathing in the perfume.

  “It reminds me of the roses and hydrangeas in the gardens.”

  He moves forward, his hand running from my knee up to my inner thigh.

  “Put some on so I can see if you’re right.”

  I gently dip the puff into the powder, tapping the excess off before pressing what’s left to my neck. Alexios leans in, inhaling deeply before a soft moan leaves his lips.

  “You are absolutely correct,” he whispers, lips touching just below my ear.

  I close the ivory case and put it aside so I can move closer to him, melting into him instantly as his arm wraps around me.

  We don’t speak for the rest of the journey back, but that doesn’t stop his warm lips from finding me more than once and by the time we roll through the gates of Blackwood Plantation, I don’t want to let go.

  --

  The servants are finishing up their last tasks for the evening while Alexios takes the package from me so I can take off my cloak.

  “I’m going to make sure the healing room’s been cleaned up for the day,” I tell him. “I want it to be ready for the morning or even tonight if someone needs it.”

  Alexios leans down to kiss my forehead.

  “Don’t be long. I hate being away from you.”

  I walk slowly down the hallway to find that the healing room in immaculate shape. The jars of salves are lined neatly along the shelves and the linens have been perfectly folded at the foot of the cot. I check each section anyway, the little ritual calming me after a night like this.

  --

  Alexios leans back against the pillows, hair spilling wildly around him as I change into a night shirt after our shared bath. As I move to get under the blankets, he shifts closer, arm sliding beneath my pillow while I lean to trace lazy circles on his chest with my fingertip.

  “I’ve been thinking about… something,” I murmur softly.

  “Hmm?”

  “Marriage,” I answer hesitantly, worried I’m walking into another hard conversation.

  “Marriage,” Alexios echoes, practically moaning out his response.

  “I’m… I’m not saying now,” I add quickly. “But if you’d ever… like to…”

  My hand comes up to shield the embarrassment blooming on my expression.

  Just spit it out, Arun.

  “If you ever want to,” I try again. “I would… I’d like that. To marry you, that is.”

  Gods, what has gotten into me?

  His fingers stop playing with my hair, instantly pulling my eyes up to look at him, but I don’t see fear on his face like I’m expecting to.

  “Arun…”

  “But…” I cut in.

  He sits up rapidly and there’s that fear I was looking for.

  “Tell me. What is it?”

  I sigh deeply.

  “I’m a tiefling, Alexios.”

  Alexios huffs.

  “And I’m a drow,” he replies. “Glad to see we’ve finally discovered that three years later and cleared that up.”

  I roll my eyes, recognizing the slight bit of playfulness in his tone.

  “No,” I say sharply. “I’m a tiefling which means I’ll only live about as long as a human would and as you’ve helpfully pointed out, you’re a drow. You live centuries.”

  The realization of what I’m saying finally hits. I can see it in the way his thumb strokes my arm softly.

  “If we got married… what happens after I die of old age?” I ask, eyes stinging with tears already.

  “Then I go with you,” he answers without a second thought.

  I freeze.

  “Go.. with me?”

  He nods matter-of-factly.

  “Even if you died tomorrow or the next day… I would go with you.”

  Heart thudding so hard that I almost feel dizzy, I just… stare at him.

  “Alexios, you’d… you’d leave everything?”

  “You are everything,” he says simply.

  I blink rapidly, but it just makes the tears fall down my face quicker.

  “You really mean that?”

  “I’ve never meant anything more,” he tells me. “I would never want to exist in a world you’re not in. Never again.”

  I can do nothing, but move closer to him, hoping this is enough of an answer, but I know it’s not.

  “I’ll make sure that day doesn’t come for a very long time,” he adds. “Until then, you are mine and I am yours. All of me.”

  Closing my eyes tightly, I breathe in slowly, just simply wanting to take in every piece of this moment.

  His words. His warmth. His touch. His scent.

  Him.

  My mind is pulled back to the grave marker, hoping that when my time comes, I won’t have to leave him behind.

  --

  I don’t remember falling asleep, but I do recall the warmth of Alexios’s arms keeping me safe and warm. When I open my eyes though, I’m somewhere else completely.

  Blinking rapidly, I realize I’m seated on a cushioned bench next to a hearth, a low fire crackling like it’s almost breathing. I look around at the room with its honey-colored wooden walls, air rich with the scent of cinnamon and burning wood.

  When I look to my left, I realize… I’m not alone.

  There’s a young man sitting beside me. A wood elf with sun-kissed skin and curly dark brunette hair, with bits of it almost brushing his shoulder. The light from the fireplace almost illuminates the soft copper specks in his hair.

  But his eyes are what really pull me in. Green and alive like the leaves on the Sycamore trees that guard Killpon Swamp.

  He’s been waiting for me.

  “You really are quite shy, aren’t you?” he asks in an almost conversational way.

  In my confusion, my eyes move from him to the rest of the room. There are mismatched rugs and stacks of books piled high on a side table. In the corner, a violin rests in its stand.

  “Do you… do you play?” I ask.

  “I did,” he says kindly, but the smile on his lips does nothing to hide the grief in those green eyes of his.

  It can’t be.

  Is this…? Is he…?

  “Yes,” the young man says. “I’m exactly who you think I am.”

  How did he…?

  Before I can even ask more, he reaches over to gather my hands in his.

  “I heard what you said at my grave,” he adds in.

  My eyes widen.

  “You… you did?”

  He nods calmly.

  “Alexios misses you so much,” I whisper with sorrow. “What… really happened to you?”

  Nykky closes his eyes, shaking his head.

  “That’s not why I’m here, Arun.”

  “Then why?”

  His eyes return to me again.

  “To tell you that it’s okay.”

  “What is?”

  “That you love him. It’s okay. Truly.”

  I politely remove my hands from his to wipe at my tears, but he leans forward to brush them away for me.

  “You’re not angry?” I ask, somewhat scared of the answer.

  “He was mine once,” he tells me. “Now he’s yours. If he’s happy… I’m happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for him.”

  I take a breath.

  This truly is the Nykolai, isn’t it?

  He’s really here.

  He smiles warmly, nodding as he brushes a strand of unruly hair away from one of my horns, just like Alexios would.

  “I’ll take care of him, I promise.”

  “I know,” he says. “There’s not a doubt in my mind about that.”

  Desperate for this moment not to end, I reach for his hand again. We sit silently, letting the warmth of the hearth lead the moment. When I look back over at him, I notice the curve of his mouth, the shape of his nose and even the fall of his curly hair.

  I look like him, just… as a tiefling version.

  My tail sinks in shame.

  That’s why Alexios was so drawn to me in Baldur’s Gate. He just wanted to continue their story.

  “No,” Nykky cuts in politely, his hands reaching to caress my jaw. “I know it in my heart that this is not true. Do not let that horrible thought poison your mind.”

  “But you and I…” I whisper as something heavy settles in my chest. “He wanted me to come home with him because I look like you.”

  “No,” he repeats sternly. “What Alexios and I had… it wasn’t this. Yes, we loved each other, but… I believe the gods made him for you, and you for him. You two were always meant to find each other. I just know it.”

  “Don’t…” I try to say, but my tears are too heavy, choking down whatever words I even want to say.

  “If my death meant giving you both the opportunity to find each other, I would let it happen a million times over. But…”

  His voice trails off.

  “But…?”

  “He is hurting,” he says intensely, making me sit up straighter.

  “Alexios is?”

  He nods.

  “Alexios is carrying something immensely heavy. He will never let you see it but believe me when I tell you he needs help.”

  Nykky isn’t saying this lightly.

  This is a warning.

  I open my mouth to speak, desperate to understand what he means by that, but the edges of the room are already fading and I can see Nykky looking around frantically, his green eyes filled with absolute fear.

  “Nykky,” I breathe out urgently. “What do you mean? What kind of help?”

  He stands abruptly, eyes darting towards the door.

  “You have to go… now.”

  “Why?” I’m practically yelling now. “Please! Help me… help Alexios!”

  He shakes his head, breath coming out erratically as the golden glow of the hearth begins to turn into shadows. From the other side of the door, a woman’s wicked laugh spills out.

  --

  I wake up rather harshly this morning, the smell of cinnamon still lingering in my nose. Alexios isn’t beside me now, probably to let me sleep in if I had to guess since there’s no one calling for me from the hallway.

  When I finally leave the bedroom, servants are already moving around as the sound of clicking dishes and the distance sweep of a broom moves through the hallway.

  Alexios is in his study, leaning over the desk and reading something far too intently for him to notice me standing just outside the door. It seems as if he didn’t bother with a comb before starting his work based on the slightly tussled look of his hair.

  “Did you wake up early?” I ask, keeping my tone soft.

  He looks up almost a bit too quickly.

  “Didn’t want to waste the morning, I suppose.”

  Typically, his answer wouldn’t bother me in the slightest, but after last night, I’m watching him differently. There are ever so faint dark circles under his eyes that I’m just now seeing and even tension in his shoulders.

  I step closer.

  “Are you okay? Did you trance last night?”

  “Well enough.”

  His usual piercing eyes aren’t that sharp right now and even though he keeps them on me, I see something in them that isn’t quite… settled.

  Pretending to scan the desk when I’m actually listening for the small things, I note the hesitation in his answers and the way he takes longer breaths than usual. It’s nothing that anyone else would catch, but now that I know that something is wrong, I can’t help but notice them.

  “Would you like to have a late breakfast together?” I ask, trying my best to make it sound nonchalant.

  I am hungry, but it’s more of an excuse to watch over him a little longer.

  Surprisingly, he follows and we eat together in the dining hall. He keeps relaxed, talking about shipments and the weather so I nod along, trying to add to the conversation when I can, but I know better now.

  Alexios is hurting.

  The longer I sit across from him and notice the small things, the more certain I am that Nykky… or whoever that was… is right.

  --

  The day moves along in a considerably dull pace, but I still can’t stop watching Alexios. He walks through the hallways, commanding the same confident presence he usually does, but there’s a stiffness in it now.

  By late afternoon, we relax in the gardens, each of us with a glass of lemonade in hand, but as he roams around the path, I see the same practiced half-smile he’s been giving me all day.

  Is something wrong?

  Are you hurting?

  I have to physically bite my tongue to keep from asking Alexios those questions.

  “You’re quiet today,” Alexios notes.

  I force a smile.

  “Just enjoying the sun,” I lie.

  I keep telling myself not to ask about anything that might upset him. I don’t want to push him if he’s not ready to open up about what is truly going on. I’m also afraid of whatever answer I might get.

  But… I have to know. I want to be there for him if he’ll let me.

  Finally, I step closer, taking his large hand in my smaller one.

  “Alexios, would you tell me if something was wrong or if you were hurting?”

  He stays silent for a while, eyes burning into mine until I think I see the truth there, but then it’s gone.

  “Of course,” he answers smoothly. “You’d be the first to know, my love.”

  His answer should make me feel better, but there’s still much that’s been left unsaid. Sighing softly, I give a small nod and step back.

  --

  The evening sun almost brightens the grave marker when I kneel down in front of it again. The flower I’d left is gone so I pull another one just to the right of the marker before gently letting it fall from my hands.

  “I… I don’t really know why I’m here again,” I admit. “Maybe I was hoping you could help me figure this out. I don’t know how to fix this, Nykky.”

  I wait, even though I know I won’t hear his voice. There’s no warmth anymore either, just the soft stir of the evening breeze moving through the trees above. I lower my head anyway.

  “What do I do? How do I… reach him?”

  Still nothing.

  I sigh, but I let the silence be the answer anyway. Well, the lack of one, I guess. Sitting in the grass a bit longer, I watch as the sun moves even lower below the tree line.

  Finally, I stand and brush the dirt from my hand and pants.

  “Since you can’t tell me… keep an eye on him for me, will you? Wherever you are. He needs you.”

  Whatever Alexios is carrying, I’m starting to think that maybe it’ll take more than just me to pull him through.

  --

  I’m hanging up my cloak again when I hear Alexios’s footsteps behind me.

  “There’s my love,” he says, hair still damp from his bath. “I was starting to think you’d ran away.”

  Not exactly ready to admit where I’d actually been again, I smile.

  “Just needed some air,” I answer.

  “I don’t blame you,” he tells me. “I always thought the plantation looked best in the evening sun.”

  As I nod and begin to turn towards the stairs, Alexios reaches for my hand.

  “I have a business meeting in a few days,” he says. “One of the smaller councils from Restina. I wanted to know if you’d like to attend with me.”

  His head tilts and I can’t help but hear the slight nervousness in his voice.

  “But…?”

  He sighs.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to,” he admits and I know exactly what he’s alluding to. “After… what happened with Lord Brimsey.”

  I look up at him for a few moments.

  “You want me there?”

  “Yes,” he says without a second thought.

  “Then… I’ll think about it. Is that okay?”

  Alexios lets out a shaky breath, smiling as he leans down to kiss my forehead.

  “Of course, it’s okay,” he says, peppering my warm cheeks with kisses before leading me into his study.

  --

  My breaths are ragged as I look down at Alexios, who’s kneeling happily at my feet, my spent length resting on his shoulder as he kisses along my hipbones. Papers litter the floor around us, pushed off the desk by Alexios in a reckless haste to see who could undress faster.

  Alexios finally stands, palms resting on my waist like he doesn’t want to let me go just yet. I reach up to move a sweaty strand of hair from his cheek.

  “I’ll go,” I breathe out, still trying to catch my breath from the warmth of Alexios’s mouth just moments ago. “If you want me there, I’ll go.”

  He shakes his head.

  “That’s not what this was about,” he tells me as he gestures to discarded clothes and wrinkled paper. “I didn’t get on my knees for you, hoping for you to change your mind. I want you to feel safe enough to go. If you don’t…”

  “I do,” I interrupt softly, wiping the sweat from my brows. “And I know that’s not what this was about.”

  Alexios eyes light up as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his chest.

  “I always want you there. If you do decide to attend, I’ll protect you. You have my word.”

  I close my eyes and rest against his chest, letting his vow fully sink in. I know he means it. His lips graze one of my horns, sending a small twitch down the length of my tail.

  “What would you like for me to wear?” he asks suddenly.

  My eyes widen, completely caught off guard.

  “Me…?”

  “You,” he confirms, laughing softly. “If you’re coming with me, I want you to look at me the way I know I’ll be looking at you.”

  I bite my lip softly, my tail swishing excitedly back and forth as I look at his discarded black cloak draped over the chair.

  “I want you to look like you,” I admit. “Not the intimidating council version those… men want you to be.”

  “Then I’ll wear exactly that. You’ll help me choose the perfect outfit, right?”

  Nodding happily, the thought of walking into a council room together, unpretending and just simply as ourselves, excites me more than I can even put into words.